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First, a total eclipse, then a cicada-geddon

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• Illinois

* From the U of I Extension office in February…

For the first time in 221 years, periodical cicada brood XIII and brood XIX will emerge at the same time!

A periodical cicada emergence can be an exciting event to witness! Periodical cicadas emerge from roughly mid-May until late-June, so be ready for a wild start to summer. This is a great time to visit a local state or city park and watch the adult cicadas fly, listen to their calls and look for the nymphs’ shed skins. In neighborhoods with mature trees, some may even find cicadas in their back yards. You can even take part in a citizen science project by reporting cicada sighting locations on the Cicada Safari app.

Brood XIII emerges in the northern half of Illinois and will consist of three species of 17-year periodical cicadas, Magicicada septendecim, Magicicada cassini, and Magicicada septendecula. Brood XIX is called the Great Southern Brood and emerges in the southern half of Illinois. Brood XIX consists of four 13-year periodical cicada species, Magicicada tredecim, Magicicada neotredecim, Magicicada tredecassini, and Magicicada tredecula. Cicadamania.com is a great website to visit to learn more about the individual species emerging. The two broods have an area of overlap in Macon, Sangamon, Livingston and Logan counties in central Illinois. Springfield could be a great location to spot members of both broods.

* “Hyper-sexual ‘zombie cicadas’ that are infected with sexually transmitted fungus expected to emerge this year”…

Matthew Kasson, an associate professor of Mycology and Forest Pathology at West Virginia University, says both of these broods can be infected by a fungal pathogen called Massospora cicadina.

Once the cicadas emerge from the ground, they molt into adults, and within a week to 10 days, the fungus causes the backside of their abdomens open up. A chalky, white plug erupts out, taking over their bodies and making their genitals fall off.

“The cicada continues to participate in normal activities, like it would if it was healthy,” Kasson told CBS News. “Like it tries to mate, it flies around, it walks on plants. Yet, a third of its body has been replaced by fungus. That’s really kind of bizarre.”

Kasson said the reason the cicadas might be able to ignore the fungus is that it produces an amphetamine, which could give them stamina.

“But there’s also something else unusual about it,” he said. “There’s this hyper-sexualized behavior. So, males for example, they’ll continue to try and mate with females — unsuccessfully, because again, their back end is a fungus. But they’ll also pretend to be females to get males to come to them. And that doubles the number of cicadas that an infected individual comes in contact with

Yuck.

* More…

Illinois state entomologist Chris Dietrich said there are two different broods of cicadas emerging this year, one that only comes out every 13 years, and the other coming out every 17 years.

He said these two broods of cicadas have not been out together since 1803.

“These two particular broods of cicadas only come out every 221 years. And it’s really unusual to have two broods that are kind of right next to each other in terms of their geographic distribution that emerge simultaneously,” said Dietrich.

* Map…

* Brood XII in the northern half of the state…

* Brood XIX in the southern half…

* Other info…

* Maps show where trillions of cicadas will emerge in the U.S. this spring

* ‘Only happens every 221 years’: Rare cicada emergence expected in Central IL this spring: She said although they’ll create a lot of noise, the cicadas can actually be helpful as a main food source for many animals. They also provide nutrients to the soil when dead.

* When will cicadas emerge in Illinois? Billions of insects arrive this spring

posted by Rich Miller
Tuesday, Apr 9, 24 @ 1:51 pm

Comments

1. So that’s why leaders scheduled early adjournment….to flee from the cicada invasion where Springfield is the epicenter. Thank you!

   Comment by Dan Johnson Tuesday, Apr 9, 24 @ 1:57 pm

2. gotta get a bigger bug zapper

   Comment by Amalia Tuesday, Apr 9, 24 @ 2:07 pm

3. Do you think that one Facebook friend was paranoid about the eclipse? Just wait until the VD spreads cicadas.
   Looking forward to hearing how it is being coordinated by The WHO (the World Health Organization) and The Who (Pete Townsend and Rodger Daltrey).

   Comment by OneMan Tuesday, Apr 9, 24 @ 2:09 pm

4. Food for Thought… These are edible. Maybe don’t eat the ones with the fungus;) And definitely not if you have a shellfish allergy. https://extension.illinois.edu/blogs/commercial-fruit-and-vegetable-growers/2024-02-20-considering-eating-periodical-cicada

   https://today.umd.edu/cicada-licous-cooking-e031e1f4-ee49-4a27-a377-72607b8ed189

   Comment by Anon221 Tuesday, Apr 9, 24 @ 2:10 pm

5. Dear Higher Power,

   Please make this summer become the coldest ever in recorded history for the Springfield area.

   Comment by NonAFSCMEStateEmployeeFromChatham Tuesday, Apr 9, 24 @ 2:23 pm

6. - Food for Thought… These are edible. -

   I now wish I knew less about cicadas.

   Comment by Dotnonymous x Tuesday, Apr 9, 24 @ 2:23 pm

7. –But they’ll also pretend to be females to get males to come to them.–

   Please stop giving Mary Miller something to talk about.

   Comment by TheInvisibleMan Tuesday, Apr 9, 24 @ 2:30 pm

8. New drink: the cicada: rum and coke with 2 maraschino cherries!

   Comment by Loop Lady Tuesday, Apr 9, 24 @ 2:31 pm

9. Pandemic…insurrection…eclipse…and now jacked up cicadas…AH AH…AAAAAAA!

   I miss San Kinison…

   Comment by Dotnonymous x Tuesday, Apr 9, 24 @ 2:48 pm

10. is one pronounced cicada and the other cikaada?

    Comment by Amalia Tuesday, Apr 9, 24 @ 3:02 pm

11. Time for a good old sci-fi bug movie kinda line: “Mr. President,the number of cicadas is unprecedented, and so is the area they’ll be covering. Conventional weapons will be useless. We…may be left with no choice but to use the atomic bomb to stop them.”

    Comment by thisjustinagain Tuesday, Apr 9, 24 @ 3:36 pm

12. Each brood of the 13 year and 17 year cicada contains 3 different species of cicada, each unique in terms of size, coloration and song. The 3 species are the same across the broods except for the cycle time difference.

    They all taste the same.

    The annual cicadas are a different species yet.

    Comment by We've never had one before Tuesday, Apr 9, 24 @ 4:12 pm

13. = They all taste the same. =

    I probably shouldn’t ask, but how do you know that?

    Comment by JoanP Tuesday, Apr 9, 24 @ 4:45 pm

14. My dog loves to eat cicadas. Not looking forward to the onslaught. She doesn’t have much self control when it comes to food. Ugh.

    Comment by Original Rambler Tuesday, Apr 9, 24 @ 5:03 pm

15. Which one is the state cicada

    Comment by Rabid Tuesday, Apr 9, 24 @ 11:01 pm

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